| Show li sniping ing jed f s 0 j 0 0 I 1 y davis p 01 2 K 0 0 J 1 l i t ii 0 r george min elmer er cobb 0 1 ht 1917 py by W G chapman the he flag was still there r bened limping jed davis e welkin ring as he trudged i dusty road ne he was no sing rolce ole was cracked cracke d and creaky creak in his 1118 there was patriotism ii y fl flashing ashin hope in his heart strained tones he e quivering 8 not singing the star span ner ee as might blight have been a two verse song set to a popular war melody and each led ded up with tile the words and asa was still there it was not rose rase or a parody on the na at song it told briefly but of historical circumstances ie red ked white find and blue had sd ced ind and was still there i ed davis had bad composed this all by himself once after war or at a reunion of veterans written one that had bad been his indulgent comrades and n i the newspapers e r S and gave at deal of importance after betic instinct had slumbered country called for volunteers the great world battle across d 1 been the first firs t to present to 0 the enlist enlisting ng regulars at f seat ie e im old an crippled but fight again he quavered tender reverence he was told could not accept him and nt ent back home a disappoint etter that I 1 went he told laughter daughter ivy a poor orphan feht presence was the one his ila old age then you could mer he could carry the old place here and id be doing 0 my coun country try odeather and od father elmer eimer will heed the flag too as soon as thim him reminded ivy ear bellr awas was cracked and creaking with pride we were talk feairs only last evening lie he hurry lurry the marriage so ns as to Is own the little time ahead it t will cheer and astrea strengthen agthen ow iw that he has a loving wife t inking hinting of him while he Is tant nt trenches or on the bat arrange it as you like e old man 1 I aint much use orld any more two weeks after that and i t brief space of time it was that hat a quiet wedding should me the devastating news like bolt there was a mortgage 11 thi the davis homestead it a matter of pride with eli to pay tilts this off when he mar alth t the property clear ills his ul bid enable them to get along an and elmer imer felt that it would y 1 as well as a pleasure to or the old ad roan man the rest of 1 1 e to ivy with a pale troubled hay day tb that at he learned that a whom hom lie he had loaned his ad decaul decamped de camped Ded EL a bankrupt and all ali their fond plans were id jed who was on the root roof tie house just finishing seta homemade home made flagpole over e sad talk tail ft of the twain in the house below and nearly balance lince alance a lie ile had little heart the flag thero there the mn ma which had taken nearly his t and upon which ivy had diligently aud and steadily toi for 6 9 was hoisted just the same lelta of 0 the family were deep ed ea the old man wandered wan derei leas easily lly lie ile was returning nd d worried to the howe one on abea ile he sat eat down under 9 the shade of a tree to rest his eye caught the flig flag waving brightly in tho the breeze well well have to put our shoulder to the wheel afresh and trust in god he murmured this la Is a big country with lots of chances tor for the willing man add the nag flag Is still there 1 the words inspired him the presence of the flag a memory the stirring words of the great song he had sung with his br brave ave comrades comrade 5 going into battle of the one lie he bad written for tile the company reunion awoke latent poetic instinct in his nature it was then that his theme took root it was pleasant to muse ov over er it and to am pliay it after that for several days jed would stroll to some isolated place of woodland give out the stirring words of his crude but appealing composition to the flower laden breeze and the chorusing cho birds then into that fertile mind of ills his came a suggestion the dally daily papers had told him that the big city not far away was all aflame with patriotic fervor oratory melody sentiment ruled the times ile he recalled the marvelous popularity of the noble melodies of the civil war ile he was too modest and sensible to get th the e idea into his head that ho he was a great composer and could write the national anthem but why might not his little effort become one of the many catchy songs of the moment hence his present trip to the city he had bad told ivy lie he had business there and she supposed it was something to do with the renewal of the mortgage jed got to the city he had bad little money to spare and he be secured the cheapest sleeping quarters he could find and got his meals at a third rate restaurant for two days he went the rounds of the local music publishers they pitted pitied or laughed at him jed was getting discouraged when one day he ran across a young active but somewhat disappointed journalist at the restaurant look here said the keen witted newspaper man after looking over the song ive an idea have you now bowl questioned jed hopefully 1 I have those verses are no marvelous gems but they hit the occasion patriotism Is in the air I 1 can get credit to have a thousand slips printed with the conj song on them tomorrow night theres to be a great mass meeting to enc encourage bourage enlistment at one of the armories they say there will be fully people present well get th there ere early and sell the slips at five cents each the verses just hit the occasion it if you get the crowd enthused and singing your song youre a made man the songs sold little knots of people began to hum the familiar melody they were fitted to the entire t thousand housand went like hot cakes the chairman of the meeting suggested that they sing the song all voices the next day the fertile minded reporter enlarged on the scheme he had of the songs printed ile he w went e at to leading business houses and induced them to buy big quantities for general I 1 distribution ns as a patriotic du duty ty jed davis went home with nearly in his pocket A glorious moon was rising as he neared the old cottage inside a light showed ivy bustling about how happy she would be to hear the news of what was a small fortune to them present humble ble circumstances I 1 the old man suddenly reverentially lifted his ragged cap tor for the rising moon cast a rare silver glow over the cottage and flagstaff and the stars and stripes floating in the breeze and the flag was still therel there I 1 he sang with a will and hastened into the house to tell the happy news |
